Artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented/virtual reality (AR/ VR) and interconnected equipment will change construction forever, as they have already changed other more tech-forward industries. But when? Here, we look at adoption patterns and plans for these technologies. We also suggest respondents may be further along in adoption of some of these technologies than they think.
This is the third installment in the FULL 2023 State of the Industry: Construction Technology Report, a four-part series that outlines the growing technology present in the construction industry, how contractors are currently embedding the technology into their workflow, the future of disruptive technology and the impact technology will have in acquiring a younger generation. Use the navigation bar below to maneuver through valuable industry insight. This series is available with free registration on IRONPROS.
- PART 1: IRONPROS Research Finds Field Productivity Software Most Significant Construction Technology Going into 2023
- PART 2: GPS-Asset Tracking Hardware, a Top 2023 Equipment Technology Priority
- PART 3: IRONPROS Study Reveals the Future of Disruptive Technology in Construction
- PART 4: Will Younger Construction Professionals Drive Technology Adoption?
- FULL 2023 State of the Industry: Construction Technology Report
The study includes detailed adoption curve analyses for:
- Interconnected Equipment
- Augmented/Virtual Reality Training
- Internet of Things
- Artificial Intelligence
75 percent of study respondents saw value in interconnected equipment or were using it now.
Based on the percentage of respondents who had adopted or saw technology as important in the next 10 years, interconnected equipment was the single most significant technology studied. This was driven by a slight lead over some other categories in respondents already using the technology, but significant percentages say interconnected equipment will be important in either five or 10 years.
Interconnected equipment, which involves digitally mediated coordination between pieces of equipment engaged in a project is a critical way for autonomous digital processes to come to market in equipment-centric construction. IRONPROS analysts have seen this trend manifest already in repetitive construction settings like roadbuilding, where digital coordination between automated pavers, compactors and even material trucks result in a smoother, more reliable linear asset by eliminating stops caused by interruptions in the process.
IRONPROS has followed construction hardware and software vendors as they include these new technologies in their product offerings. Examples include:
- Estimating software that uses AI to help contractors figure out which projects to bid, which to walk away from and how high or low to bid.
- Connected equipment, hand tools and wearables that send IoT data from the field to the back office for analysis and real-time decision making.
- Sensors used during construction and often left on site to monitor water leakage and even shut down water supply to mitigate damage.
- Networked robotic paving and earthwork machinery that ensure one process dovetails with the next.
“2023 is an exciting year for the industry because these disruptive technologies will help construction executive teams make not just incremental step changes but substantial leaps forward in their ability to build faster, at higher quality, at a more competitive cost and with higher margins,” says AC Business Media CEO Ron Spink. “IRONPROS is the central repository for insights on how construction technology vendors and products are evolving along these lines. We are here to help financial decision makers understand and win with disruptive tech.”
